


The War on Falling Stars Chapter 2 .::Blame Me::.

by Antigravity_Carnivore



Series: The War on Falling Stars [2]
Category: Breaking Benjamin (Band), Project Vela (Band), STARSET (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, F/M, Future Fic, Inspired by Music, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-01 21:43:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20264971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antigravity_Carnivore/pseuds/Antigravity_Carnivore
Summary: Thomas Bell and his wife Lizzie must come to terms with the aftermath of the tragic incident one year prior.  While Rhiannon Burnley makes a startling revelation to Aaron.





	The War on Falling Stars Chapter 2 .::Blame Me::.

.::The War on Falling Stars::.  
Chapter 2: Blame Me  
One year later  
The rain poured down relentlessly from the gray skies, pounding loudly against the roof of the man’s car and flowing down the windshield in torrents. The wipers struggled to keep up against the storm, forcing the black car to slow down to almost a crawl as it made its way through the winding paved roads. The trees on either side swayed in the wind, their branches bent over nearly to the point of breaking, sending the last of their decaying summertime leaves scattering in all directions.   
It was a chilly September morning, the first notes of autumn ushered in on the wind that greeted the man and woman as they continued onward to their destination in the vehicle. Unspoken words hung in the air between them as they drove on in silence. Neither of them wanted to be there. Occasionally the woman would clutch at the hem of the thick black sweater that she was wearing, her fingers plucking at the lose folds of fabric nervously, words lingering on her lips, wanting desperately to break the silence but not quite certain if she should. There was so much on her mind lately, so many thoughts and emotions all threatening to drive her insane that she found it was easier to remain silent and keep her thoughts to herself. She wanted to talk to her husband, to tell him how she was feeling, but he had his own demons to deal with, and she couldn’t bear to add any more troubles onto him.  
Glancing over, she looked at him, hoping he’d notice and ask what was troubling her, and that would break the uneasy tension between them, but he never took his eyes off the road. They remained fixed and trained on the path ahead. Sighing to herself, she sat back in her seat and leaned her head against the side window, watching the raindrops build up on the glass.  
“You know, you really didn’t have to come along.” The man said. His voice was soft and gentle, as he spoke in a soothing tone. “I know how tired you are. You didn’t need to put yourself through this.”  
The woman offered him a obligatory smile. She was exhausted both mentally and physically. The last year had not been kind to her, and it seemed like her world was falling apart, but she knew that at this moment, her husband needed her, and no matter how badly she was feeling, she had to be there for him. “It’s alright Thomas.” She said quietly. “I needed to get away, just for a little while… and I wanted to be here for you.”  
Distracted for a moment, Thomas did not see the small bump in the road, and one of the car’s tires hit it, sending a bouquet of white roses tied with a lavender ribbon which had been sitting between them to bounce off the seat and slide down onto the floor. Lizzy reached down and picked it with great care. She caressed the white petals, feeling the softness of the fragrant blooms beneath her fingertips. “Those are the last of the flowers that I could save. I have been watering them every day, and trying my best to take care of them, but no matter what I do, they just keep turning brown and dying on me. I guess I am just not as good at plants as you are Lizzie.”  
Holding the blooms close to her face, Lizzie inhaled and took in their scent. It was sweet and delicate, but also at the same time, it had a lingering scent of earth and dirt. “It’s alright, at least you tried.” She whispered.  
Thomas gripped the steering wheel and swallowed hard. “Lizzie. I think you should come home.” Keeping his eyes on the road, Thomas continued to drive into the storm.  
Lizzie sat the roses back down on the seat and turned her gaze to the side window. “You know that I can’t.” Her heart sank.  
“Yes, yes you can.” Thomas said. The windshield wipers beat furiously against the glass, sloshing the rain off the vehicle as he drove onward. “What happened is terrible, I know I went through the same thing you have and I’ve been there through it all with you. I respect that you needed to get away for a while, but being away this long isn’t good. I’ve been working and taking care of the house, of the garden, of everything else and let you have a little space, but it’s beginning to get to be too much. I can’t do it anymore. I miss you, Lizzie, I miss us. I need you to come home and be with me again.”  
Shaking her head, Lizzie choked back the tears that she could feel building up inside of her. She knew that this discussion was coming, but she never imagined that it would be on this day. All she wanted to do was comfort her husband, not get into an argument. The silence between them had been shattered now, and she now found herself regretting it. “Thomas, why can’t you understand that Tristan needs me too? I need to be there at his bedside with him, for as long as it takes, he needs to know that his mother won’t leave his side or abandon him. I love you so much, you are my world and my husband, but he’s my son. I gave birth to him, and promised him that I wouldn’t let anything happen to him. Even if I have to spend every single night there with him at the hospital, I will. I need to be there when he wakes up, so he knows I never left him.”  
“He’s our son. I love him just as much as you do, but he’s in a coma, Lizzie. Sitting right beside him 24/7 isn’t going to make him get any better. We just have to wait this out.”  
Lizzie fumed. “And what do you think we should do while waiting? Go home and get on with our lives? Pretend that he’s just away at summer camp? Maybe have cookouts with the neighbors and celebrate the holidays all carefree? No… I don’t think so. He’s on life support. I am not going to just walk away from him when he’s fighting for his life.”  
“I’m not asking you to pretend that nothing has happened, all I am saying is that you can’t keep going on like this, Lizzie. Selene says that she has to bring you food, and make you shower and eat. That’s not really living. You’re more like a zombie each and every day…and… I just want things to be how they were. ” The storm died down to light rain as Thomas pulled the car into the lot and put it in park. The rain gently pattered on the roof over their heads as Thomas reached out and took hold of her hand. “Listen, I didn’t mean to upset you, I just want you home with me Lizzie. I want my wife back. Everything around me just seems to be falling apart, and it’s becoming harder for me to deal with each day…Tristan falling ill, you being away from me, and now….” He hesitated, obviously caught up in the moment and almost overcome with tears. “I am trying Lizzie… I am trying as hard as I can to get through this but, without you, I don’t know if I can make it. I put on a brave front when I leave the house to go to work. I smile, and nod, listen to the stories about what their families did over the weekend and look at their vacation photos, but deep inside I can’t stand it. If I see one more vacation beach photo of their happy kids playing in the ocean, I am going to snap. I know that Tristan can’t be with us, but Lizzie, that doesn’t mean that we can’t go on living! The two most important things in my life right now are you and our son, and you’ve both been taken away from me. Can’t you see that I miss you and want you back?”  
Pulling her hand away from her husband, Lizzie grabbed the bouquet of white roses and yanked on the handle of the door, looking out the window in front of them. “We should go, Selene is waiting for us.” Without another word, Lizzie pushed the door open and stepped outside into the light rain.  
Sitting back in his seat for a moment, Thomas ran is fingers through the dark, curly locks of his hair. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to open the door and pull Lizzie back in, take her home and hold her in his arms for the rest of the day. It was one year since that fateful night when Tristan had his ‘attack’ in their home, and his life hadn’t been the same since. So many things around him were changing, and none of them were for the good. He didn’t understand why this was happening to him, he was a good man, who never did anything wrong. He followed all the rules, was kind, generous and incredibly loving to both his friends and family, so why was everything going so wrong for him? Normally a very observant individual, Thomas was known to pick up on certain things that didn’t see or feel right, and the last few days had been filling him with a sense of dread that he couldn’t quite shake. Something bad was going to take place, and soon, he just didn’t know what it was.  
Suddenly there was a light tapping on the glass which startled him. Glancing up, he saw his mother Selene, standing outside in the rain, underneath a umbrella with Lizzie at her side. “Would you mind terribly getting out of the car and getting your wife a umbrella of her own so she doesn’t get soaked out here please?” She asked softly. Thomas looked over his shoulder at Lizzie, who looked pale and very fragile.  
“Yeah, sure.” Thomas pushed the door open and stepped out, moving around the car to the trunk and fetching an umbrella. He tried to avoid looking at Selene as he fumbled to get it open. The last few years since Tristan’s birth had put a strain on the relationship between Thomas and his mother. Most of the arguments revolved around the fact that Selene had wholly different ideas about the universe than Thomas himself did. Thomas was a man of science and only believed in what he could see, feel, hear or touch. Selene on the other hand, like to tell his son fantastic stories of demons and devils, of white winged angel shepherds that would guide a person’s soul to the land of the dead after they had passed on. It wasn’t just stars and planets in outer space, but entire lifeforms, galaxies and civilizations which lived up there in her eyes, all coexisting in peaceful harmony and blissful existence. To Thomas, this was complete nonsense. He and Selene would often argue about what young Tristan was learning. Thomas had his strict scientific ways, and Selene was more metaphysical and open minded. Lizzie would often be the one to get between the two where Selene would visit, putting both the adults in their invisible corners and scolding them for being so pig headed and stubborn with one another. The child, Tristan, seemed to be completely unaffected. He was an intelligent dreamer, or so the neighbor, Scott would tell him, and reassure the boy that he must be the one to choose his own path in life, and not let anyone force their beliefs on him. Tristan would sit for hours with his father in the back yard looking at all the constellations and learning about the galaxy, very attentive, hanging on every single word that his father spoke, or go on long walks through the forest with his grandmother, looking for fairy rings and signs of fantastical beasts which roamed the woods behind their house. Thomas was not able to keep a watchful eye on the boy and what Selene was telling him, and this upset him greatly, which put stress on the relationship with his mother.  
Taking the umbrella from her husband, Lizzie smiled at him and then readjusted the bouquet of flowers in her arm. “I am going to head up to the grave. Thomas, why don’t you stay behind for a few minutes and talk to Selene? I am sure that you both need to get a few things off your chest before the service starts, and it would be nice for you to escort her up there.”  
Unprepared for Lizzie’s unexpected suggestion, Thomas started to say something in protest, but was cut off when he felt Selene slip her arm around his and cover him with her umbrella. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Lizzie. You can go along now, we will catch up to you in a few minutes.”  
Nodding Lizzie made her way through the light rain, over to cobble stone path of the cemetery and disappeared in a few minutes. Selene gripped the soft fabric of her son’s suit coat and spoke in a hushed tone. “I know that things haven’t been the best between us Thomas, but I want you know that it means a lot to me that you are here today.” She hesitated for a moment. “I think that your father would have liked it as well.”  
Thomas took the umbrella from Selene and held it between them. “Let’s be honest with each other okay? I’ll come right out and say it. Father didn’t want to be around me even when he was still alive. Growing up, I hardly even knew I had a dad, because he was always out in the workshop fiddling around with his electronic gadgets that never went anywhere. All those hours he spent out there on inventions that failed, he should have been spending with his family, so I can’t stand here and shed tears for a man that I hardly knew. He never loved me. The only thing he loved was his work, and his death is proof of that.”  
Selene’s jaw dropped open. “Thomas! How can you say such things? He loved you and worked so hard so that we could have a decent life. Everything he did, he did for us. Sure he was often busy or had to go away for his research, but he was certain that he could make a change in the world, a change for the better. You shouldn’t hold this against him, because he only saw goodness and promise in you. Do you know how happy he was when you decided that you wanted to pursue astronomy? He told everyone about how proud he was of you, and that one day he wanted to include you in his research, and together you’d be an unstoppable team.”  
Rolling his eyes, Thomas let out a sigh. “You just don’t get it, do you mother? When you’re a kid, you want to do things with your father, be part of whatever they were doing, just to be close to him. While all the other kids were playing baseball and going to picnics and carnivals, mine stayed in his workshop in the middle of the woods, pushing me further and further away. For my birthday, I wanted a bicycle, so that I could ride along with the other children when they went on their adventures. Did I get one? No. All I got was some old second hand telescope that had mismatched pieces on it and barely worked. He didn’t even care about me to buy me a new one. I got scrap… bits and pieces, just like the love that he gave me, just enough to scrape by, but clearly not enough to make it worthwhile. I don’t even want to be here. I am only here because I wanted to see Lizzie again, and this is the only way she would allow it. I have no tears to shed for my father, and I don’t think I ever will.”  
The rain continued, dripping down from the corners of the umbrella that covered Selene and her son. Looking away from him, she reached up and pulled the black lace veil that was pinned in her hair down over her face. “Let’s go.” She whispered.  
Together, Thomas and Selene made their way up the winding hill to the top of the cemetery, and reached a small clearing surrounded by maple trees. Their dark red branches crept out in various directions, creating a canopy of leaves that sheltered those below from the rain. A simple black headstone stood out from a damp, open grave just a few feet away from where they stood. There were only a handful of people gathered around the grave, including Lizzie, staring solemnly at the silver casket perched precariously over the ominous hole. A few feet from the group, Selene stopped and tugged on Thomas’s arm. Curiously, he turned and looked at her. While the veil partially obscured her face, he could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes, and instantly regretted his outburst. He realized that even though he had no love for his father, Selene loved him… no… she loved them both dearly, and his harsh words to her earlier were a huge mistake. She was grieving the loss of her husband, and Thomas had been wrong to be so confrontational. “Mom… look… I am sorry about everything. What I said back there, was out of place and just cold. You don’t deserve to be treated like that, I am just really kind of messed up right now, with little Tristan being ill, and Lizzie being away all the time… it’s overwhelming. I don’t know why, but ever since my son was born, I’ve had these really weird feelings which I can’t explain, and often it comes out all fucked up and wrong. I never meant to push you away from Tristan, I was just afraid that….”  
Pulling the veil back, Selene looked at Thomas with a serious expression and brought a finger up to his lips. “Thomas… Shhh. You don’t have to say another word. I understand. It’s alright to feel this way. You’re just protecting the ones that you love. I’d do the exact same thing.” Reaching up, she pushed a stray curl of hair away from his face. “You’re my son, my little boy, and I will always love you, no matter what you say or do.” She slid her hand down the side of his face and gently tilted his head up. “You’re father loved you too, more than you will ever know. The work that he did was dangerous, and that is why he kept you away all the time. The telescope that he gave you, he built that himself, with scraps that he could salvage from other projects. He stayed up for 24 hours straight fine tuning it and making it perfect for you so that you can see all the faraway places you were reading about in books. He wanted to bring them to life for you. You see, we didn’t have much money, the research grants that we had been given were almost gone, and every day more and more bills were piling up and the people he was working for were demanding results, becoming impatient, but you can’t rush greatness. Tristan was sure he was onto something, but wanted it perfected, but time was not on his side. He may have been short with you, and with me at times, but he was a good man.”  
Thomas’s eyes went over to Lizzie for a moment, then returned to his mother, and for the first time, he noticed the lack of light in her eyes, the tight drawn wrinkles that crept across her face, and the dark circles which tinged her skin a faint purplish color. She looked so tired. “Mom, I know that this is probably not the right time to ask a favor of you…”  
Selene smiled. “We’re all mortal creatures, Thomas. Our time is limited. Never be afraid to say what’s on your mind, because you never know when you are going to get another chance.”  
There was a strange, almost prophetic tone in the words which Selene spoke that made a shiver run down Thomas’s spine. A cold wind started to pick up, swirling the dead leaves around their ankles and driving the rain around the edges of the umbrella. They had to join the others soon and get the ceremony over before the skies opened up again. “It’s Lizzie. I don’t think she should be staying at the hospital every night like she’s been doing… I know that you are taking care of her, and Tristan too, but she needs to come back home. I am not saying this to be selfish or greedy, but it can’t be good for her to be at his bedside all the time. I mean….you’re Tristan’s doctor, you are there with him, watching over him, he’s in good hands. Lizzie needs a break, badly. Can you please talk to her, see if you can convince her to come home?”  
Over at the grave site, the priest was gesturing for Selene to join them. The looming storm in the distance made him nervous. “I will see what I can do.” She whispered. Thomas smiled and nodded to her and turned to join the others when Selene grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back. He looked at her, confused. As she spoke, her whispering voice dropped lower and lower, almost making it inaudible. Thomas struggled to listen. “Thomas, wait a moment. Before we go up there, I have something for you.” Cocking his head to the side, Thomas looked at his mother curiously. “As you know, your father loved his work. So much so that at times I began to doubt myself, and become quite lonely. If it wasn’t for you, I think that I might have gone mad. I knew he was doing great work, and I couldn’t possibly bear to pull him away from it, so that’s why I chose to give him his space. I am sorry that you were hurt because of it.”  
Thomas reached out and took her hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “Mom, it’s okay. I understand now.” He pointed in the direction of the others. The air had grown cold, the temperature dropping in a matter of minutes. As he spoke, he could see his breath crystallize before him. “They are all waiting for you. We should really go up there.”  
“In a moment, son. Don’t worry, they won’t start without us.” Selene reassured him in a soothing tone. Her hand slipped away from her son’s and slipped into her pocket. “Tristan was working in the lab, down in the woods. I hadn’t heard from him in a few hours, which was not unusual, but while I was sitting in the den, reading, I got this terrible feeling, right in the center of my chest and I knew something was wrong. Gabriel, our cat instantly woke up and took off scurrying around the room, as if he was trying desperately to get away from something.”  
Shifting on his feet, Thomas gripped the umbrella tightly. “I really don’t think now is a good time for this, mother. I…”  
Ignoring his interruption, Selene continued on. “I knew it was Tristan. I threw open the door and ran down to the lab, without shoes or socks. I could feel each stone, underneath my bare feet, ripping them to shreds as I tore through down the woods down to the path. Branches and leaves became stuck in my hair, or clawed at my face, trying to hold me back, but still I pressed on. I had to get to him. When I reached the door to the lab, I noticed that it was open. He never leaves it open, not even for me. I stepped inside and all I could see was his body, laying there on the floor, his eyes wide and bulging, clutching his chest. I dropped down beside him, and all my medical training as a doctor went right out the window. I was helpless. In the middle of his episode, he reached out, his face red as bricks and slipped something into my hand and then told me that I should give this to you.” She brought her hand up, opening her fingers slowly, and sitting there, gleaming brightly was a silver ornate key. “After I took it from him, he died. Just like that. His life was snuffed out, as one would do to a candle. It was a heart attack.” Selene lowered her head and took a long deep breath. “The paramedics showed up and told me that even if I didn’t panic and managed to perform CPR, there is no way he would have made it. His heart stopped and I lost my husband.”  
Thomas reached out and drew his mother into his arms, hugging her tightly. A few feet away from them, in the clearing by the grave site, Lizzie smiled, watching them. She felt a little of her old self returning. Perhaps there was hope after all.  
“I love you, mom.” Thomas whispered.  
Selene pulled back from him and held out the key once again. “Take it. When the time is right, you will know what it’s for.”  
His fingers, wet and wrinkled with the dampness of the rain, reached out and took the silver key from her. The instant his skin made contact, there was an intense, shooting pain in his head, and his eyes were filled with bright white light. His vision was bombarded by strange sights, clips of places and people he had never seen before, all moving at a break neck pace. As one image came into view, another would quickly take its place, flashing rapidly before him, sending confusing signals to his brain. The sound of the rain was replaced by whispers, voices that he thought he used to know, all calling for him, some screaming, others shouting, becoming louder and louder by the moment. Faster these images assaulted him, pushing their way, prodding further and further into his mind. Raising his hands to his head, he squeezed, trying his best to keep his skull from breaking apart. “STOP!” he shouted, and then everything went dark.  
There was a rustling of a light breeze, and the sound of the ocean. The darkness separated, and a figure stepped out from it. Clad in long flowing black cloak, it moved forward and unfurled it’s massive set of wings. Tiny pin feathers caught the air and blew forward, brushing against Thomas’s cheek, they were strangely hot like embers of a fire. Where the small pinions touched his skin, they left behind red welts, almost like burn marks. “Where am I?” Thomas asked, curiously. The pain in his head was fading, leaving him with confusion and fright. As if to answer his question, the dark figure moved his arm, and brought forth a black and silver scythe, brandishing it menacingly before him. The scythe felt strangely familiar, and seeing it made his entire body go numb. He remembered the rain, and mud, and the sound of cracking thunder filling his ears. Thomas held up his hands. “Whoa, wait a moment. I don’t mean you any harm. I don’t even know where I am. If you can tell me how to get back to where I was, I will go away, I promise.”  
“Thomas Bell.” The figure spoke. His voice was one of those he had heard in his head earlier. Someone once close to him perhaps. “How did you get here? You should not be here. Your existence in this place means that the barrier is starting to break apart, and all will be undone. With this comes the end of the world. There will be war, and the stars will fall.”  
Feeling a slight change, Thomas glanced down and saw that his clothes were different. He was no longer wearing his black suit for the funeral, but instead some sort of foreign tactical gear, pieced together with bits of salvaged body armor. Secured on both of his arms were strange bands emblazoned with a logo he had never seen before. He was dressed for battle. “What the hell is going on? I don’t understand.”  
“The children are the first to go. Their innocence is a threat to the darkness. After they’ve all been taken, then it will begin. Ember, Benjamin, Tristan…”  
Hearing his son’s name, rage filled Thomas and he raced across the room, facing the dark figure head on, challenging him. “Tristan is my son! What is going to happen to him! Tell me!”  
The darkness shifted, and the dark figure pulled it’s wings back. “Return home, Thomas. Forget what you have seen here, for if you remember, you will die. Do not open the gate. This is the only warning you will get.” The shadows that surrounded him intensified and the dark figure turned to walk away.  
“Wait! You know something about my son! And Ember! She’s been missing for an entire year! Tell me what you know.” With great daring, Thomas reached out and grabbed for the figure’s long cloak, meaning to make him turn around. As his fingers wrapped around the fabric, they began to singe and burn. Bits of burnt fabric filled the air, and he immediately withdrew. The figure whirled around, brandishing the scythe with full force and drove it right into the center of Thomas's chest. Thomas’s eyes widened and he dropped down to his knees. With a quick yank, the figure pulled the scythe out of the breastbone which it had neatly embedded itself in and kicked Thomas down all the way onto the ground. Thomas felt no pain at all, but an uncomfortable numbness as the darkness closed in on him.  
The figure spoke one last time. “This is a warning, seeking answers means you are choosing to forge your own sword in life. But tread lightly, Thomas Bell. For that sword will slice through more than the darkness. Do not undo what has been done.”  
His eyes growing heavy, and the rapidly spreading numbness flowing out from his chest, Thomas closed his eyes and went to sleep.  
“Thomas! Hey! Answer me!” Hearing someone call his name, Thomas opened his eyes and saw Lizzie kneeling down in the mud next to him. Her black dress was covered in the dirt from the cemetery, and her hair was soaking wet. She looked pale as ever, and her bright blue eyes were set on him in fear. “Oh you’re awake! Thank heavens! I was so worried!” She moved forward and put her arms around him, as he struggled to make sense of what was going on. He glanced up to Selene, had a stoic, unreadable expression on her face.  
“What happened to me?” Thomas asked. “Did I…”  
“You passed out.” Selene said flatly. “Probably from the stress of the last few months all caught up to you at once. What do you remember?”  
Lizzie helped him to his feet and put her arm around his waist, supporting him as best as she could. “Um, nothing really, other than standing here talking to you, and then everything went black. I felt like I was asleep, then I heard Lizzie’s voice and I woke up.” Thomas swallowed. His tongue felt thick and his mouth was incredibly dry. He felt as though he could drink up an entire lake and still be thirsty. Standing up shakily, he looked over his shoulder to his father’s grave site. “I am okay, really. I can sit down over there and rest while the services take place, I don’t want to cause any more trouble and I’d like to say goodbye to my father.”  
Shaking her head, Selene readjusted the veil over her face once again and turned away from him. “No Thomas, I think it’s best that you go home and get some rest. There is no need for you to be out here in this terrible storm. Your father knows how much you loved him, even with all the troubles we’ve been through, Seeing the dirt on his grave won’t change anything. Go home and rest.” Gently, she reached out and took the bouquet of white roses, which were starting to wilt and turn brown from Lizzie’s trembling hands. “Lizzie dear, why don’t you take him home and watch over him tonight? I think it’s best that he’s not alone, and who better to be his own personal nurse, than you, right?”  
“Well, I don’t know.” Lizzie stumbled over words, the decision obviously weighing heavy on her. “I can’t just leave Tristan alone at night…what if he wakes up? I should really be there with him.”  
Patting Lizzie on the shoulder, Selene gave her a warm reassuring smile. It filled her with comfort. “He won’t be alone. I am working the overnight shift tonight, and I can pop in to his room after I finish my rounds. It will be fine dear, do not worry.”  
In her arms, Lizzie could see her husband’s eyes shine with hope. There was no way she could refuse now. “Okay, but promise to call me if there are any changes.”  
“Of course I will. Thank you both for coming here today. In whatever plane of existence he is in, I am sure that Tristan is happy to know his family is here, all together for him.” She picked up the umbrella from where Thomas had dropped it and offered it to him. As he took it from her, she reached out and gave him a hug, embracing him tightly. Leaning in, she whispered to him. “My sweet boy, all you ever had to do was ask.” She ran her fingers through the tight curls of his hair lovingly. “Lizzie will stay with you tonight, I got her started down the path in the right direction, it’s all up to you now to make sure that she stays on it. Reassure her, tell her how much you love her and above all else, listen to her and make her feel comforted. That’s all she wants.”  
Thomas closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in the sweet scent of the essential oils which hung around his mother like a halo. “I will, I promise.”  
As he tried to release her, she refused to let go. “I gave you what you wanted; now it’s your turn to do something for your mother.” Thomas felt a slight tug on the side of his coat. “I’ve given you the key, now it is up to you to find the door that it opens and bring him home.”  
Confused, Thomas stared at his mother blankly. “Bring who home?”  
Releasing her son, Selene waved to her daughter in law. “Lizzie! Come take Thomas back home, will you, and see to it that he is given the best care. I’ll call you later tonight after you get all settled.” She pulled the long black shawl around her shoulders and took the arm of the priest who led her back up the hilltop to the grave site of her husband. The dark storm clouds loomed overhead, with an occasional rumble of thunder off in the distance warning them to seek shelter. Thomas and Lizzie watched as the services started, and a group of crows flew in to nest in the branches high overhead. They both remained silent and unmoving. Selene’s black dress fluttered around her ankles in the wind, and she fumbled with a white lace handkerchief, moving it from hand to hand anxiously as the priest started the services. It was a surreal scene, painted against a backdrop of gray skies and looming clouds. Neither of them wanted to disturb it, but both of them was anxiously waiting for the other to break the silence and say something.  
Looking over to Lizzie, and her mud stained dress, Thomas couldn’t help but to smile. She was coming home tonight. The change in temperature making his fingertips cold and numb, he shoved them into the silk pockets of his coat, and felt the cold silver of the trinket that Selene had placed there. Did it really belong to his father, and if so what was it used for? He wasn’t much for collecting antiques, always saying that the future is more important than the useless artifacts of the past. Why was it so important that he used his dying breath to see to it that his mother gave it to him, and why didn’t she investigate his workshop on her own? There were too many questions that needed answers. He felt Lizzie’s hand touch his own. Her fingers were soft and warm. Thomas closed his eyes and lowered his head a bit, he felt like every bit of energy had been drained right out of his body.  
“Thomas, love, you are freezing. Let’s get you back home and out of those wet clothes okay?” Lizzie asked quietly.  
Opening his eyes, Thomas turned to look at her with raindrops dripping off his curls. “What I said earlier, those harsh words, I really didn’t mean them, and I regret saying them to you now. I guess I did the same thing with my mother as well. I honestly don't know what's gotten into me. You’re not selfish or uncaring Lizzie, you are exactly the opposite of those. You are just a mother who wants to be with her son, who I am to keep you away from something that you love?”  
Stepping forward, Lizzie dropped the umbrella down onto the ground and placed a hand on both sides of Thomas’s cheeks. Drawing him in, she stood on her tip toes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. All the anger, hurt and rage instantly left him as waves of comfort flooded in, making him feel content and safe. Not caring about where they were, Thomas wrapped his arms around his wife and held her as close to his own body as he could. He could feel the pounding of her heart against his chest and it was the most wonderful sensation ever. Keeping her lips pressed against his, Lizzie whispered to him. “You are the thing that I love, Thomas. You and Tristan both. I can’t stand the thought of losing either of you. I only went to be with him because he’s so small, and helpless and needs someone to protect him.” Reaching up, she ran her fingers through his damp hair. “I know you. I know how strong of a man that you are, and that no matter what life threw at you, you would never break or bend. Even when it’s hurting deep inside, and you feel that you can’t take anymore, you always somehow find the strength to make it though and be the hero at the end. That’s what you are to me, Thomas. My hero.”  
Resting his forehead against hers, as the rain dripped down between them, Thomas whispered. “Let’s go home Lizzie, even if it’s just for one night before you go back, I want to spend it with you.”  
“I’ll take care of you, my husband. I promise.”  
Lacing her fingers together with his, Lizzie led Thomas back to the car. He wasn’t sure how long she’d stay, or even where her thoughts were, but he did know that she was with him, in this quiet shared moment, and he didn’t want it to end. As they approached the car, Lizzie slid into the driver’s seat and Thomas made his way over to the other side. He opened the door and prepared to get in when he hesitated, turning around for a moment to look back up the hill to the grave site where his father was being buried. The few friends he had were all gathered around, listening intently to the priest, some weeping, others stoic and unmoving, all except for Selene. As his gaze fell upon her, she turned to look straight at him from high on top the hill. Her dark eyes met his and a chill ran down his spine. She cocked her head to the side, and he could see her dark burgundy painted lips underneath the veil, form words that were meant just for him. Three small, unspoken words.  
‘Open the door’  
Rhiannon hated days like today. Windy, dreary, with a nasty dampness in the air, they always made her feel like she was sinking in quicksand and no matter how hard she struggled, she just couldn’t pull herself out. Pulling the blankets up tight around her shoulders, she cupped the mug of hot cinnamon tea in her freezing hands and tried to absorb all the warmth from it. On a good day, she’d often start the morning with orange juice and pancakes for her and her son, but today wasn’t one of those days. It was dark, depressing and full of nothing but broken, painful memories of happier times. So the day was started with a cup of tea and a handful of pills for her, and some cold sugary sweet cereal for her son. Sitting on the large, overstuffed couch, Rhiannon watched little Benjamin play at her feet. He looked so much like his father that sometimes she couldn't bear to face him without tears in her eyes. Content in his own world of star wars legos, he had absolutely no idea what day it was today, other than it being a day where it he wasn’t allowed outside to play. The storms would roll in from the ocean unexpectedly, and assault the white sands of their private beach without warning. Enormous six and seven feet tall waves would break against the beach, giving an impressive show for all to see, but also dangerous enough to take a full grown man and sweep him right out into the ocean. Today was the day for staying indoors and fighting off the memories that kept trying to wash her away into nothingness.  
A knock at the door made Rhiannon jump slightly, and she ran her hands through her hair, quickly tying it up into a messy bun before padding softly across the cold marble floor with her bare feet over to the door. She took a moment to compose herself, and look back at her son, who didn't seem interested that there was a visitor. Smoothing out her wrinkled sweat pants and t-shirt, Rhiannon unlocked the door and pulled it open, bringing the best smile that she could muster to her lips.  
“Hey Aaron, I am so glad that you can come!” Rhiannon greeted him with a quick kiss on his cheek and then took him by the hand, leading him back into the house and shutting the door with haste behind him. The cold and dampness was out there, she refused to let it enter her house, she had been fighting it for so long now, she just knew that she had to keep it away.  
Taking off the sunglasses that he wore, even on overcast, rainy days and pushing them on top of his head, Aaron made his way through the maze of packed up boxes full of personal belongings and over to the little boy and sat down on the floor next to him. “Uncle Aaron! Look what I made! It's a space ship!”  
Aaron took the lego spaceship from the boy and examined it intently. “Wow Ben this is really outstanding, but you know... I think that it needs something extra. Can you add some escape pods on it maybe the souped up version with thrusters? That way if anyone gets in trouble out there in outer space, they can quickly escape.” He handed the ship back and Ben took it from him. “You want everyone to be safe, right?”  
“Mmm hmm!” Little Ben nodded feverishly and went to work on the new additions that he requested. Pulling himself to his feet, Aaron shrugged and smiled at Rhiannon. “It's the least I can do. I wasn't doing anything today and I am more than glad to help out in anyway that I can. I tried to get the rest of the guys to come lend a hand, but it would seem that they each got something going on today, which is cool I guess that they are keeping themselves busy.” He pointed to all the boxes stacked around the room, piled almost as high as the ceiling. “How are you doing with things? It looks like you've been busy.”  
Wrapping her arms around her elbows, Rhiannon avoided looking at Aaron. “I am getting as much done as I can, but it's... hard. There are so many memories in this house, in this place that when I think I am making progress, I find a photo, or a magazine article, or even a piece of his clothing that I can't let go of and spend the rest of the day in tears. I'm trying to hold it together, not just for myself, but for little Ben's sake too, but it gets so hard. Especially at night.” She looked over across the room to the landing of the second floor and the door at the end of the hall. It was the bedroom that she and her husband, Benjamin once shared. “I can't sleep in there. Not by myself. Sometimes little Ben would come in from his room at night, probably hearing me crying and curl up next to me, but even then, being in that room, even with my son felt wrong. I haven't gone in there in weeks now. I took some of my clothes out and moved them into the guest room. That's where I have been sleeping. There or down here on the couch.”  
Aaron looked at the pile of pillows and blankets thrown carelessly over the sofa. The small end table next to it was filled with bottles of pills and empty wine bottles. He gave her a stern look. “Rhiannon, this isn't right. You've shut yourself away here in this house and it's not good. I hate to see you like this, and I am certain that Ben wouldn't either. If you keep going down this path, something terrible is going to happen to you, and where would that leave your son? He'd be all alone. You've got to get away, the sooner the better.”  
“I didn't plan on any of this!” Rhiannon snapped at him. “I didn't plan on my husband dropping everything and walking away from me, away from his life, away from his SON! Tell me how you're supposed to react when they tell you that your husband walked out into the ocean and drown himself! I played the surveillance video over and over a million times, and I can't figure out why he would ever want to take his own life like that. He had everything! If we weren't enough, he had all of you guys, and his music. How the fuck could he choose to end it like that, leaving all of us behind? And now... now I have to sell this place just to get away from all these memories.”  
Hearing his mother get upset, little Ben put down his toys and walked over to her, reaching up and putting his small hand in hers. “It's okay mommy. Daddy will come back, I know it. Do you need a hug?”  
Wiping away her tears, Rhiannon bent down and hugged her son tightly. “Thank you Ben. You are so precious to me, you always know how to make mommy feel better.”  
Aaron watched the scene unfold him with a sense of guilt. He didn't mean to upset her, it all happened by accident. The truth of the matter was that ever since they ruled Benjamin's disappearance a suicide, Rhiannon had been slowly losing her mind. For some time afterward, she refused to admit what happened, and begged Ben's friends to look for him. Days and weeks passed by without sign of a body, and everyone came to the same conclusion, which was that night, after arriving home after a long tour, Benjamin had said goodbye to each of them in turn, being cryptic with his words and talking like he wasn't ever going to see them again. Aaron was the first one he talked to and felt uneasy the moment Benjamin turned around and walked away from him. Ben's aura felt weird, almost like he was a completely different person. The moment his plane touched down, he phoned Rhiannon and she assured him that Benjamin had arrived home and the family was enjoying Christmas eve opening presents and sipping hot chocolate. Aaron never spoke to Ben again after that. The house surveillance camera would show Benjamin leaving their bedroom in the small hours of the morning, walking down to the beach, and standing there for sometime, watching the waves roll in. There was some argument as to what he was doing there. Most of those who watched it say that he was speaking softly, or perhaps saying a quiet prayer, maybe evening singing to himself, but a few astute viewers believe that Benjamin was talking to someone, someone who was off camera or was obscured by shadows. Neither of the theories could be proven. The facts were, that after some time, Benjamin Burnley simply walked into the ocean and didn't return. It was ruled a suicide and the case closed for everyone, except for Rhiannon who started to slowly lose her mind. Now here she was, all alone with her son in this huge house, one year later, getting worse and worse everyday.  
Leaning against the couch casually, Aaron felt uncomfortable and tried his best to clear the air. “It will be nice moving inland a bit. Ohio is it then? That's not that far away, I am sure that we can come and visit you anytime you like. And I hear that Shaun is moving somewhere near there, a nice place in the country. We can all get together and have a nice bonfire in the fall after you've gotten all settled in. I can bring the little guy and he can play with Ben.” He winked and gestured to the small boy, who slipped away from his mother and was jumping across the couch cushions toward Aaron. “What do you think Ben, would you like Aaron junior to hang out with you? You can teach him all about the galactic empire and stuff like that.”  
Little Ben's eyes widened. “Yes! Mommy can I play with Aaron at the new house? Please.”  
Slowly standing up, Rhiannon pushed a piece of blond hair back behind her ear and away from her eyes. “Of course Ben, we can have them over anytime you wish. As long as you promise to do as mommy says and stay out of trouble.”  
“Yay Yay!” Ben cried out in joy and slid down the couch and returned to his building. “Imma gonna start on another spaceship, so Aaron can have one too and we can take on the bad guys!”  
“You know, Aaron, you could have brought your son with you today. I don't mind watching over him while we get the boxes packed.” Rhiannon said brightly. The moment of grief over, she was beginning to feel a little bit better. Perhaps all she needed was someone to listen to her and not judge.  
Aaron took off his jacket and tossed it aside, rolling up his sleeves. There were hundreds of boxes which had to be loaded onto the moving truck, but he didn't mind. Hard work was his thing, and he knew that Rhiannon could use the company. “He's with his mom today. They are heading back to Pennsylvania for the day to go see Grammy. You know how much she likes to spoil him, if he doesn't drive her crazy playing rock star and jumping all over her wicker furniture.” Aaron laughed. “He has his own make believe band already planned out in his head, and I think he's made me one of his roadies.” Rhiannon giggled and shook her head, smiling. Aaron took notice that this wasn't the false smile that she had greeted him with at the door, but her own personality coming through, and that made him feel good. “So, where is the truck parked? I am pretty sure that we can get most of these loaded up today.”  
Rhiannon bit her lower lip. “That's not why I needed you today. I have a crew that is going to come in and do that for me. I need help with something else.”  
Looking at her curiously, Aaron scratched his head. “Ugh okay, just tell me what to do, I am game for anything.”  
“Benjamin, you stay down here and play with your toys, I am going to go take uncle Aaron upstairs for a little while.” The little boy nodded and continued on the maintenance work on the second lego space cruiser. “Follow me.” Gesturing to him, Rhiannon led Aaron to the master bedroom, and reached out, placing her hand on the door knob. “Like I said, I haven't been in here in months. The stuff inside is mostly his. I am not sure if I should give it away to charity or keep it. You know the important things better than I do. I need you to help me go through it all and pack it up, or toss it. If you want, you can take anything that has sentimental value, I think it would be better of you ended up with it anyway. It all breaks my heart.” Slowly pushing the door open, Rhiannon stepped inside to the massive bedroom and let Aaron enter. His jaw dropped open. He had always thought that Benjamin wasn't attached to material things; that he would rather have his memories of a certain night, time or place, rather than a physical object to be kept on a shelf collecting dust, but seeing the room before him, he instantly knew he was wrong. Each of the walls were covered with framed photos of shows covering a long period of time, starting when Benjamin was a teenager with his first band, through the rise and fall of the original breaking Benjamin, his wedding, the birth of his child, and then the formation of the current band. Aaron ran his fingers over the framed newspaper clippings from the local Pennsylvania news that featured articles about the band, all neatly preserved and pressed in a protective layer of glass. Sitting on the floor around the room were each of the guitars that Benjamin had used in his lifetime. He never got rid of any of them, retired them, or stored them away. He kept them here in his bedroom, as a reminder of how his hard work and preserver got him to where he was.  
Rhiannon walked past Aaron and pushed open the closet door, revealing hangers with the same outfits on, a black work shirt with various pop culture patches on, and blue jeans, all neatly pressed and waiting to be worn again. She reached out and grabbed hold of one of the shirts, clutching at the fabric with her small hands. “I can still feel him in here, Aaron. It's like he never left. I don't want to believe that he is gone, because everyone is expecting me to move on with my life, but I don't want to. I don't want to be that person that people whisper about, pitying me.” Reaching around to the back of the closet, she pulled out a black acoustic guitar, one that was hand painted and bore red feather wings on the sides of it. It was Benjamin's favorite instrument, one that he had written more than a dozen songs on, and one that he would often use when he'd go into little Ben's bedroom at night to sing him to sleep.  
“No one is going to pity you, Rhiannon. We want to help you, we all do. Benjamin was a great guy and we all miss him so much, but look around you, Ben left behind a legacy that you can be proud of, you and his son. You are both his living legacy.” Clutching the neck of the guitar tightly, tears started to stream down Rhiannon's cheeks. Confused, Aaron walked over to her tried to comfort her, rubbing her back gently. “It will get easier, I promise.”  
Suddenly Rhiannon started to laugh. Aaron started to worry.  
“What's so funny?” He asked cautiously.  
She took a deep breath. “Can you keep a secret?”  
“Of course. Look, Rhiannon... that's part of why I came here. When you called asking for help for the move, I was more than willing to help, and not just to shlep boxes onto a van, but I could tell by the tone in your voice that you needed someone too, someone close to you and that's the real reason why I came. Ben was a pretty private person himself, and would often keep his feelings and emotions all bottled up inside. I think that's why a lot of people think him cold or uncaring, because he doesn't really react to things as they are happening. He would take it all in, and then if something was bothering him, he would deal with it in his own way, or come to me and we'd talk it out. Everyone needs someone like that, to sit and listen to them.” Gently, Aaron took her hand and led her over to the bed where they both sat down. The rain outside still pounded against the window. “You can tell me whatever you need to, whatever secrets you have are safe with me.”  
Still clutching onto Ben's guitar, she drew in a long deep breath and ran her fingers down the neck of the instrument. “I tried my best to keep looking for Benjamin, even long after they said he was dead. I didn't want to admit to myself or little Ben that he was gone. I couldn't do it. Then finally the day came when Terry came to me and told me that I was wasting cash with all these search parties out searching the ocean day after day. It had been almost three months and I was getting worn down and sick, so I had to call them off. I was weak and nauseous, I couldn't keep anything down. Even the smell of food made me ill. Everyone went their own ways, except for me and little Ben. We stayed here in his house and I grew even more sick, until one day when I decided to go see a doctor. When all the tests came back, I was completely devastated. They told me I was pregnant.” Rhiannon stopped speaking and placed the guitar on the bed next to her. The black lacquered frame gleamed brightly even with the overcast light streaming through the windows. Overcome with emotion, she started crying, putting her hands in front of her face.   
Aaron's eyes widened. He didn't know what to say. This was a shock to him. After all the searches had been called off, no one bothered to go see Rhiannon to check up on her or little Ben. Occasionally Aaron or his wife would call to see how she was doing, but she always sounded so pleasant and happy. Never would he have imagined that she was pregnant. The silence in the room was deafening.  
“Yes, I know what you are thinking, and it was Ben's child.” Rhiannon interjected quickly. “I was faithful to him, even while he was away. I swear it to you. The night that he came back from the tour is the only night we were together, that was the night that he went missing. I have not been with anyone else. I could never do that.”  
Rubbing his neck, Aaron spoke in a soothing tone. “I never thought that, not for a moment. I was thinking about how all of us, Shaun, Keith, Aaron, Jasen, and even myself had been so absorbed in our own lives that we hadn't even bothered to pay attention to what you were going through. I guess we just thought that since everything was called off, that was the end of it.” He looked over at her curiously. “Can I ask... what happened?”  
Choking back her tears, Rhiannon lifted her head. The stains of the tears had washed away some of her make up, making her look older and giving her a ghastly, haunted appearance. “I got rid of it.”  
Aaron gasped. “You did what?”  
Twisting her wedding ring over and over on her finger, Rhiannon became defensive. “I HAD to! I couldn't bare to keep this child knowing that he was concieved on the night that his father died! It's hard to look at little Ben now, as he looks so much like his father, imagine what it would be like to look at that baby every single night, knowing that he was nothing more than a going away prize. My husband walks out on me but gives me a parting gift to make me feel better, that's how it felt to me.”  
“You're wrong!” Aaron scolded her fiercely. “Ben would NEVER think like that. I don't know what was going on in his head that night, and I know I should have said something to him sooner, but I didn't! Don't think for one moment that he had a suicide planned out. Something was eating away at him, that none of us knew about, and sadly were too late to stop it. A child, even unplanned isn't a material thing, Rhiannon. It's a life. It's a gift created out of love.” Feeling frustrated, Aaron now wished that he had never come. He only wanted to help her, and was unprepared for this revelation. A thousand thoughts ran through his head all at once, he wasn't sure what to say next. Then suddenly he remembered the various bottles of pills sitting downstairs on the table, he gasped. “Rhiannon, the baby....you didn't.....” He stopped, not wanting to finish his own sentence, fearing the answer.  
Turning to face him, Rhiannon's face was serious. “For nine months I locked myself away in here, keeping my distance from others as much as I could. I kept telling myself that one day, someone will come visit and they will see the state I am in and my secret will be revealed and I will have to keep the child, but no one ever came. Not a single soul. I told little Ben that mommy was eating too much and would have to go on a diet soon.” She chuckled. “He believed me, every single word. Bless his little heart. Then the day came when I went into labor. I called a nurse that I met online who came and delivered the child here in the house, and immediately took it away. I didn't even get to see it's face. I didn't want to. When he took his first breath, I covered my ears and screamed. This is not my son. My son is downstairs watching TV and being a good little boy. The nurse took care of me, I didn’t know her name and thank goodness she didn’t know mine. I slipped her a envelope of cash for her silence, and she walked out of the house with the newborn baby. I don't know where she took him, and I don't care. He's gone and I am trying to get my life back, but this has been a heavy weight on my shoulders for three months now. I had to tell someone. I want to leave all my secrets and bad memories behind me, in this house and never speak of them again. Do you understand?”  
Aaron stood up off the bed and walked across the room, pacing. He didn’t know what to do with his information. Benjamin was his best friend, they had known each other since high school back in PA, and he and Rhiannon had been together since then. He never imagined that she would do something as callous as this. Benjamin was gone, presumed dead, and Rhiannon in a panic throws the gift away that she had been given from this wonderful man. He couldn’t wrap his head around her reasoning. People in certain circles spread rumors that she was seriously messed up in the head since Ben died, but he just assumed it was the usual depression and grief that she was dealing with. Not this, not handing over a child, her own flesh and blood, to a stranger and instructing them to get rid of it. “Benjamin wouldn’t have wanted this Rhiannon.” Aaron murmured. “What you did is appalling, and absolutely terrifying. To think that you carried that child inside of you for 9 months and just handed him over to a stranger is completely insane. Benjamin loved you and little Ben so much, everything he did was for you. He built you this house, he paid for the bed you are sitting on and all the clothes on your back, and this is how you honor his memory?”  
Rhiannon was on her feet in an instant. “If he loved us so much, then why did he walk away from us, leaving us here all alone? Why did he keep scheduling more and more tour dates, taking advantage of every day on the goddam calender that he could? The moment he would step off that tour bus and come back home to us, he would give both me and Ben a kiss and head in the house right to his computer and start organizing another fucking tour! He never bothered paying attention to either of us! I was the one who took his son out to the parks and zoo’s and provided for him. I was the one who had to crawl into bed with him alone and night and tell him that daddy wasn’t coming home, that he was half way across the country playing humble good guy to a bunch of fans that he was just taking advantage of, pretending to be whatever they needed in order to get more money out of them.” Fuming, she continued to rant, her voice raising in tone and pitch, obviously disturbed now with no signs of backing down. “I heard the rumors too, Aaron, the ones about Ben sleeping around with other people, both men and women. He promised to be faithful to me and he wasn’t! We took sacred vows and he broke them, just like I am breaking this stupid good guy image you all have of him. I’m being honest with you and telling the truth.” Seeing the shocked expression on Aaron’s face, she brought a finger up and waved it at him. “Oh don’t act like that. You know I am right, Benjamin only cared about two things in this world, and they weren’t me and Ben. They were music and money.” Gripping the neck of the guitar, she slid it off the bed and held it upside down over her shoulder. “Well, guess what, the money is all gone now… and this is what I think about his music.” Her face contorted with rage, Rhiannon swung it in a wide arc around her, smashing it into the one of the hard wooden oak corner posts of the bed. The delicate instrument impacted the hard surface with a loud thud, producing a large crack in the shiny lacquered body. Letting out a loud scream, Rhiannon pulled her arm back and thrust it against the bed post again, and again and again, until eventually the instrument shattered, sending a thousand bits of wood flying off into the room. She let go of the useless piece of wood in her hand, letting it drop to the floor. Almost instantly, her arms started dripping with blood; they had been slashed by the metal strings as they popped off the guitar body, flying through the air as she swung it and they bit into her soft flesh. In a haze of pain, tears streaming down her eyes, she looked at Aaron desperately. “I love him so much that I hate him. Why am I so fucked up? I just want my life back. I want Ben back!”  
Slowly making his way across the room and avoiding the bits of splintered wood, Aaron drew her into his arms and held onto her as she trembled. He had seen a lot of crazy people in his lifetime but Rhiannon’s outburst was by far the worst. She had a point, that no one knew what she had been going through. Everyone was so consumed in mourning the loss of Benjamin, that they never thought to think about his wife, and what she was going through. In a way, he felt guilty himself for letting things get this far. He could explain that he was taking care of the financial part of the band and trying to preserve Ben’s legacy, but deep down inside, he knew it was an excuse. None of the other band members liked Rhiannon, and always tried to avoid her, they were pleasant to her when she was in their presence, for Ben’s sake, but none of them would go out of their way to spend time with her. They hated how she treated her husband, and used his child against him at times to put him down and make him feel bad for not always being home. “We all miss Ben. When we had problems, and felt like we were being swept away by the world, he was the one who would come in and rescue us. The fans kept telling that to us night after night. They would say that if it wasn’t for Ben and his music, they wouldn’t be here, or his music is what got them through some tough times.” Aaron could feel Rhiannon start to relax in his arms a bit. The blood from her cuts was saturating his shirt, but he didn’t care. “At first I would nod and agree, telling these people that I was glad that they enjoyed it, but now… now I know. Ben’s words, his voice, his music was something magical. It let people know that no matter how bad things got in this world, he was with them. He had been through some hard shit and wanted to make sure that they knew that there was always a light at the end of the tunnel and they should never give up, or give in.”  
Leaning her head against Aaron’s chest, Rhiannon whimpered. “But he did! He took the easy way out! Everyone hates me because they thought I was a nag, begging him to always come home, but the truth is, you guys didn’t see the pain that he was in. Every night when he’d call to video chat with little Ben, I could see the pain in his eyes. While you all were finishing up with packing up gear and goofing around with fans, he was in the bus, alone, telling me just how hard it was for him to get up there on that stage in front of all the people and pretend like he was okay. I wanted him to come home so he could get better, but he kept pushing and pushing, and no one knew about his agony but me, and I was unable to do anything about it. Why Aaron? Why couldn’t I save him?”  
Aaron’s eyes went around the room to all the photos on the wall. Images of years gone by when things were much happier, a time when all that mattered was the music and having fun were the only things left of the man which he loved so very dearly. The last few months, Ben had become fiercely protective of his friends and family, almost to the point of obsession. Aaron had seen a change in him which made him seem distant and increasingly withdrawn. When asked about it, Ben would simply say that the world was changing, and he needed to make sure that the ones he cared for were taken care of. “I don’t think any of us could have saved him, Rhiannon. I guess he thought that there was nothing more for him to accomplish here, he had given you and your son everything you could ever hope for, and the band was popular and well liked. Maybe he was upset because no one needed him any longer.”  
Rhiannon pushed herself away from Aaron. “I do! Even now, after he’s been gone for a year, I need him now more than ever, and he’s not coming back! How am I supposed to deal with this?”  
Picking up some of the larger pieces of the shattered guitar, Aaron neatly placed them on the bed in a pile. “You start by telling yourself that he’s not coming back, and make yourself fucking believe it. Don’t go looking out the window every day and hoping you will see him out there on the beach, or in a crowded club. He’s gone, and it’s going to hurt like hell. But all that pain and suffering you are going to go through is what you need to heal. After you accept that, everything else will fall into place.”   
Running her hands over the fresh cuts on her arms, Rhiannon wiped the blood away. They weren’t very deep after all, just minor scratches. She looked to Aaron with tear stains streaking down her face. “I gave his child away.” She said in a flat, emotionless one. “I am a fucking idiot.”  
“You’re not an idiot, Rhiannon. You’re just sick, and need help. It’s okay to reach out to others when things get bad. Sometimes just having someone to sit and listen to you can give you a new outlook on things, a fresh perspective. Had I known about the baby, I could have helped you, you know that I would have gladly looked after him until you felt better. We’re a family, not bound by blood, but bound by something else, something special, and we look out for one another. Benjamin brought us together, and I swear to you right here and now that nothing will ever pull us apart.” He smiled at her and took a long deep breath. “That child is out there. We will find him. He’s out there somewhere just waiting to come back home to you again. Once we have him home and safe, he will run into your arms and everything will fall into place. You don’t have to be afraid anymore, Rhiannon, we will all be behind you.”  
Sniffling, she wiped at her damp eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, and looked around at the broken bits of wood and metal on the floor. “Damn it. I've made a mess of things, haven't I? That was his favorite guitar too, he loved it so much.”  
“Not as much as you and little Ben.” Aaron said warmly. At that moment, his cellphone started to ring.   
“You can go ahead and answer that, I am going to go downstairs and check on Ben. It's almost his dinner time anyway, I'll make him a sandwich or something, and then I'll come back up and we can go through this stuff together, and talk. Is that okay Aaron?”  
Nodding, Aaron watched her leave the room and then listened for her footsteps on the stairs. He was truly worried about her now, and had no idea what she was capable of in her state of mind. She dropped a bombshell on him when she admitted that Ben had another child, and in the back of his mind, Aaron wondered if maybe this was all a lie just to get attention. He couldn't wrap his head around the idea of a mother wanting to give their child away, or even hold it in her arms once before handing it off to a stranger. Rhiannon was certainly mentally ill, and if it were true that she gave birth to another child, perhaps it was a good thing that she sent it away, at least then it might have the chance to lead a normal life. Knowing this, Aaron still felt a responsibility to track down the missing child. Ben would never have wanted someone else raising his children besides his close family, and he felt the need now to become part of it's life, no matter what it took, he would find the baby.  
Holding up his cellphone, Aaron noticed that his wife was calling him. He had just placed his thumb on the screen to unlock it when he heard Rhiannon scream from the first floor. Quickly shoving the phone in his pocket, Aaron ran out to the hall and looked for Rhiannon. She was standing near the sliding glass door which led out to the beach. The wind was whipping around madly, flapping the curtains around the frame like mad ghosts, which cold rain poured in from the outside. “What's going on?” Aaron called down to her.  
Taking a moment to look up at him, Aaron could see sheer panic and terror in Rhiannon's face. “Little Ben! He went outside in the storm. He's heading for the water! I just know it. I have to get to him!”  
Springing into action, Aaron flew down the steps and threw the curtains back, looking out into the storm. “Are you sure he went out there? Why would he do that Rhiannon?”  
“Yes I know he's out there, somewhere! I saw him go out, but now it's raining so hard, I can't see which way he went, oh god Aaron I don't want to lose him!” She stepped out of the house and onto the patio, the rain lashed against her skin and soaked her clothes within seconds.   
Aaron was at her side in an instant. “Get back in the house, Rhiannon. Make sure he's not hiding somewhere. I'll go look for him.” Aaron pulled out his cellphone which was ringing again. He rejected the call. “Keep your phone with you, message me if you find him inside. Don't panic, he couldn't have gone far.”  
Without hesitation, Rhiannon hurried back inside. Aaron could hear her screaming Ben's name over and over as he stepped off the patio and headed down to the beach. The storm was one of the worst he had ever seen. The skies were not gray and overcast, but black and threatening, occasionally illuminated by a bolt of silver lightning which jumped from cloud to cloud. The sand below his feet was saturated and wet, making it feel like he was walking in quicksand. Moving a few yards away from the house, he could barely see a short distance in front of him. The rain was creating a sheer wall that crashed all around him like some sort of invisible barrier, preventing him from gaining much ground. He didn't know which way to go. In desperation, he looked down to the sand, hoping to see footprints, but there was nothing. The wind and rain made sure that all evidence was erased within seconds. Shouting at the top of his lungs, Aaron called to the little boy, but the only sound was the waves crashing against the beach. His phone rang again, and this time it was Rhiannon. He held onto it, hoping that this was news that the little boy was just inside hiding, playing a game. The call connected.  
“Rhiannon. Did you find him?” Aaron asked loudly, trying to make his voice heard over the raging storm.  
“Aaron. I just reviewed the security footage. He is out there, you HAVE to find him, quickly.”  
“I'm looking Rhiannon, but it visibility is next to nothing. We're going to need help. Hang up with me and call the cops right now.”  
“Aaron....” Rhiannon's voice got quiet.   
“What? We don't have time for this shit, say what you have to and then call the goddam cops!”  
“Someone took him! I saw it on the video. A man. Little Ben opened the door for him and they went together down to the beach. Oh god. Someone took him!”  
“What the fuck! Did you see which way they went?”  
“No.”  
“Do you know who the person was who took him.”   
There was silence on the phone.   
“Rhiannon talk to me, do you know who the person was who took Ben? Was it a neighbor? Someone from the beach, who?  
“I.... I.... think it was Benjamin.”  
Aaron wiped the rain away from his face. He was almost at his breaking point with her. “Rhiannon, for fuck's sake, your husband is dead. If anyone took your son, it's probably some psycho vagrant from the boardwalk. I am hanging up now, you call the cops, do you hear me? CALL THE COPS!” Without waiting for her to respond, Aaron ended the call. Before he shoved it back into his pocket, he could see that there was now four missed calls from his wife. Whatever she wanted, it would have to wait. A child's life was in danger and he was the only one who could help him.  
As Aaron wandered the beach, soaked and freezing from the storm, he noticed that he was getting further and further away from the house and closer to the ocean. He couldn't tell exactly where the edge of the water was, but he could hear the crashing waves all around him. Summoning every ounce of strength that he had to keep his feet moving in the wet sand, Rhiannon's words kept coming back in to mind, making him angrier than ever and fueling him with what he needed to keep moving, and keep looking for the little boy. At this point, he knew that there was no hope for her after all. There was no doubt in his mind that Rhiannon was driven insane with the death of Ben, and was starting to hear and see things now. This saddened him, because he knew that once he found little Ben, he'd have to take the child away from her, and seek professional help. She was way beyond anything that he could do for her now; a truly lost soul.   
Walking up and down the beach, Aaron could now hear sirens off in the distance and breathed a slight sigh of relief. At least now he wouldn't be alone out here looking for Ben. His voice hoarse from yelling and his eyes stinging with the salt water that was being splashed in them from the waves, he moved on, further down the beach, hoping that he might still find him. Inside his pocket, his cellphone rang again, but he didn't hear or feel it. Standing at the water's edge now, Aaron looked back up in the direction of where the house was, and saw the red and blue flashing lights. He made a mental note to himself to speak privately with one of the officers about Rhiannon's current state. Deciding to go a little further down the beach, Aaron turned around and saw little Ben standing a few feet away from him, barefoot and still wearing his pajamas which were now soaking wet and clinging to his little body. “Ben! Come here, come to uncle Aaron right away. I've been looking for you!”  
Little Ben shook his head no.  
“It's alright, you won't get in trouble. Mommy's not mad, she's just worried about you.” Aaron pointed up to the house which was now illuminated brightly with lights. “See there, we were so worried about you that we called the police to come and help find you. I promise that they won't yell at you or scold you, they just want you back home. Now, come over to me and I'll give you a piggy back ride up there.”  
Once again, the little boy shook his head no.   
Feeling angry, Aaron took a step forward. “Benjamin, you get over here right now. We need to get back to the house, this storm is getting worse. It's dangerous to be out here.”  
Seeing Aaron approach him, little Ben took a step back. Aaron cursed underneath his breath. He had no idea why a kid would want to be out here in a storm like this. What was it that drove him out into the cold and dark night? Not wanting to risk having little Ben run off, Aaron held his ground and took a moment to think of what his next move was.   
A soft, soothing voice then filled his head. “Leave the child. Return to your home. You are needed there.”  
Spinning around, Aaron tried to find the source of the sound, but there was no one on the beach close to them yet, just little Ben and himself. Was he hearing things? Shrugging it off, he extended a hand to Ben. “Come on now, I am going to take you back to mommy. She wants to see all your space ships and......” Aaron stopped speaking and his eyes widened. A dark shape appeared behind little Ben. It appeared to man of slender build, dressed in black clothing. His face was obscured by the heavy downpour of rain, making it impossible to see. He stood behind the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. Aaron noticed a dark spot on the man's hand. A tattoo perhaps. Little Ben looked up at him and smiled.   
“He is mine.”   
Seeing the man touch little Ben infuriated Aaron and he stormed forward. “Get your fucking hands off that kid.” Only a few feet away, Aaron focused on the child and tried to lunge for him, when a massive set of black wings shot forth from behind the mysterious figure and expanded high above. Aaron, shocked and startled fell backwards onto the wet sand and stared up in awe. “Who.... what are you?” He mumbled.   
The figure bent down and picked up little Ben. The boy snuggled against him and wrapped his arms around his neck. “I'm the one you left behind.”  
Pulling himself back up to his feet, Aaron noticed the flickering of flashlights coming closer. The police were coming down the beach. All he had to do was stall just a little while longer and they would be there. He squinted, forcing the rain out of his eyes again. Then he remembered Rhiannon saying that she thought she saw little Ben leave with his father. He repeated the man's words. “I'm the one you left behind. Those... those aren't just any cryptic, random words, those are lyrics. Ben's lyrics.” Aaron was dimly aware of voices near him, the police were almost there. Then it made sense. The dark clothing, the tattoo, the lyrics. He could feel his heart pumping in his chest. “It couldn't be...” He whispered. “Ben... Ben is that you?” It was at that moment when the light from the flashlight hit Aaron's eyes, momentarily blinding him. Holding his arm up to shield his sight, Aaron cursed loudly and the light went away and the officers swarmed in. Pulling his arm down, he found that he was no longer looking at little Ben and the dark figure, they had both vanished. “FUCK!!!” He shouted.   
The police threw a blanket over his shoulders and immediately escorted him back up to the house. Inside, he saw Rhiannon, looking pale and worn sitting near the fireplace. As he walked by her, she whispered to him. “You saw him, didn't you? You saw Benjamin.”  
Aaron stared at her and remained silent. Someone bought him a coffee, and another blanket. Rhiannon didn't bother to ask again. The police came over to her and started to ask her questions. The examined the gashes on her arms and inquired about how she got them. The minutes ticked away like hours as the search party combed the beach outside, while they continued to ask her questions. Through it all, Rhiannon kept staring at the fireplace, and eventually, out of the blue, and to everyone's shock she suddenly started giggling, laughing. “I'm done for.” She whimpered. “He will come back, and when he does,he is going to kill me. I am already dead.” Rhiannon's laughter got louder and louder, and the police soon called for a doctor to come in and sedate her.   
After they placed her in the guest room with someone to watch over her, Aaron found a moment to pull his phone back out and check his messages. He glanced at the screen. 23 missed calls, all from his wife. Shrugging off the blankets, he got up and walked out to the kitchen, where he could make a call in private. He dialed the number and waited anxious moments as the call connected. Finally, it went through.   
Aaron's wife answered. “Hello?”  
“Hey babe, it's me. I am still at Rhiannon's house, sorry I didn't call in earlier, but something terrible has happened. I don't think I am going to make it home tonight so can you....”  
The voice on the other end of the line was frantic. “Aaron, your son is missing.”


End file.
